Prices

Payment Methods

Special Features

Alcohol

BYOB

Full Bar

Reservations

Accepted/Not Necessary

Delivery Area

90th St. to 125th St. and Central Park West to Riverside Dr.

Profile

This venue is closed.

Italian mainstay Meridiana fills its neighbors’ hankerings for a reasonably good meal at a price that’s easy to swallow. Glass doors open out into a large, inviting patio. Inside, the gray-walled, high-ceilinged space keeps things simple: Potted plants, ceiling fans, and a long bar with a mirror runs the length of one wall. Sicilians Gianni and Pilar Nicolosi, who took over in 1994, reference their roots in dishes like melanzana alla griglia—grilled eggplant (singed, more accurately) on a few lettuce leaves and smeared with melted goat cheese and a wimpy tomato sauce. Thin-crust pizzas turn out better. Quattro stagioni satisfies with a heady combination of prosciutto, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and mozzarella; toppings inevitably tumble off the overloaded slices. Farfalle noodles, so al dente they’re almost crunchy, benefit from a zesty cream sauce with chopped parsley. And you can sop up any remaining sauce with rolls and focaccia made in the downstairs kitchen.
— Kate Appleton